FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL; Giants Know That Warner's Zone Is the End Zone

By TIMOTHY W. SMITH

Published: December 18, 1999

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Dec. 17—
Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner took vastly different paths to reach Sunday's Giants-Rams showdown in St. Louis.

Collins, a highly touted first-round pick out of Penn State in 1995, led the Carolina Panthers to the National Football Conference championship game in 1996. His boorish behavior, though, led to his release in 1997. Picked up by the Saints, Collins played erratically for seven games, but that didn't keep the Giants from signing him to a four-year, $16.9 million contract.

Warner played at Northern Iowa and headed straight to the Arena Football League, unwanted by any National Football League team. He played two years for the Iowa Barnstormers and signed with the Rams in December 1997 as a free agent. The Rams told him to play in Amsterdam to get experience, and now he is the leader of a 12-2 Rams team looking for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Collins and Warner will step on the RCA Dome field with different tasks. Warner runs the most explosive offense in the N.F.L. A rejuvenated Collins will direct a Giants offense whose confidence has grown after consecutive victories put the team back in the playoff hunt with a 7-6 record.

Warner is the No. 1-rated quarterback in the N.F.C. (111.3 passer rating), while Collins hovers fifth from the bottom with a 72.1.

Warner, who has thrown 34 touchdowns this season, has crashed the cozy N.F.L. quarterback's club. Before the season, Collins, like most everyone else in the league, had never heard of Warner.

''It's surprising,'' Collins said of Warner's season. ''Thirty-four touchdowns, that's an amazing statistic in itself. But to come out of where he came and just step in and do it really says a lot about him, about his ability, his intelligence and stick-to-itiveness. It's certainly a great feat, and my hat goes off to him.''

Even Rams Coach Dick Vermeil is taken aback by Warner's Roy Hobbs-type season. ''I have never seen anyone do what he has done,'' Vermeil said. ''The only guy I had ever seen do it for one year was Marino when he was in his first year in the N.F.L. He did a super job. This guy's accomplishments are amazing. He just keeps getting better. He is aware, so poised under pressure and maintains great concentration and focus in adverse situations. It is a real credit to his own abilities, and it is a credit to Mike Martz and John Ramsey, who coached the guy.''

Of course, Warner is not surprised.

''Obviously I knew what I was capable of, and what I should do every time I step out onto the field -- what passes I should make, what reads I should make, how I should react,'' Warner said. ''I expect myself to play that way every time I step on the football field.''

As the Panthers' quarterback, Collins got a shot at the Rams twice a year. His record against them is mixed. In four games he started and finished against St. Louis, Collins posted a 2-2 record and threw seven touchdowns against nine interceptions.

''I've had some success against them in the past, but I'm playing a different team this weekend than I played at any other point,'' Collins said. ''They're playing much better defensively than at any point I played them. Certainly offensively they're far and away better than they ever have been. I don't think you can really compare this year's team with any team that I've played.''

Collins said it was important for the Giants to play ball-control, mistake-free football and try to keep the Rams from taking a large lead. He said the Ram defense goes into a frenzy once the offense scores a lot of points. Collins said he doesn't want to get into a shootout with the Rams' offense, but he's not going to back down. And he's confident the Giants can match St. Louis touchdown for touchdown.

''It means we better come loaded for bear,'' he said. ''If we get into that kind of game, hopefully the last two weeks have served as a building block for us.''

With a renewed ground attack that makes play-action more effective, the Giants' offense has improved the last two weeks. The most important thing is that there is confidence among the running backs and receivers that Collins can make plays.

''He's really stepped up to the challenge that's been presented to him,'' running back Tiki Barber said. ''It's great to see him back there. He doesn't get flustered. He knows his reads. He studies a lot. When it comes to game time, you know he's going to put the ball where it needs to be.''

Referring to the Rams, Barber added: ''They have a potent offense. We know our defense will contain them somewhat, but we're going to match them point-wise on the scoreboard if we want to get a win. The amount of big plays we've had the past couple of weeks is what we're going to need. If we have the same guys doing the same things they've been doing the past couple of weeks, we will put points on the board.''

EXTRA POINTS

Cornerback PHILLIPPI SPARKS didn't practice Friday, and Giants Coach JIM FASSEL indicated that Sparks wasn't going to play against the Rams on Sunday. ''It gets hard to carry guys in games that are iffy,'' Fassel said. . . . Cornerback CONRAD HAMILTON, who has missed the entire season with a mysterious knee injury, practiced for a third day and Fassel said he looked good. ''As long as he feels good after today and nothing happens, he'll be on the trip,'' Fassel said. ''If he feels good enough when we warm him up on Sunday, then he's got a chance at playing.'' This week Fassel said that Hamilton would be used in the nickel package. . . . Linebacker COREY WIDMER, who missed most of last weekend's game with back spasms, will start this week.